Glycol Diacrylate Research Articles

3D printing of melatonin-loaded esophageal stents for treatment of corrosive esophagitis

Corrosive esophagitis (CE) is a severe disease caused by accidental or suicidal ingestion of corrosive chemical agents, leading to serious esophageal stenosis or fibrosis. However, the effective and safe treatment of CE is lacking. Here, a melatonin esophagus stent (MES) was prepared using the stereolithography three-dimensional (3D) printing technology with melatonin, polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA), polyethylene glycol (PEG) 400, and other additives. The MESs with the Roman columns, caduceus, Pagoda, and mace morphologies were designed and printed, respectively. Pagoda MESs exhibited good mechanical properties, retained in the esophagus for more than 24 h, and showed rapid melatonin release. MESs had high in vitro and in vivo safety. More importantly, the implanted MES was broken down into fragments in the gastrointestinal tract and then completely evacuated from the rat body. The CE rat model was established by injecting a strong alkaline solution into the esophagus. The Pagoda MES was conveniently implanted at the injury position, which remarkably alleviated the CE symptoms, reduced inflammation, and prevented esophagus stenosis and fibrosis. 3D-printed Pagoda MESs hold promise for the treatment of CE.

Imiquimod nanocrystal-loaded dissolving microneedles prepared by DLP printing.

The utilization of 3D printing- digital light processing (DLP) technique, for the direct fabrication of microneedles encounters the problem of drug solubility in printing resin, especially if it is predominantly composed of water. The possible solution how to ensure ideal belonging of drug and water-based printing resin is its pre-formulation in nanosuspension such as nanocrystals. This study investigates the feasibility of this approach on a resin containing nanocrystals of imiquimod (IMQ), an active used in (pre)cancerous skin conditions, well known for its problematic solubility and bioavailability. The resin blend of polyethylene glycol diacrylate and N-vinylpyrrolidone, and lithium phenyl-2,4,6-trimethylbenzoylphosphinate as a photoinitiator, was used, mixed with IMQ nanocrystals in water. The final microneedle-patches had 36 cylindrical microneedles arranged in a square grid, measuring approximately 600μm in height and 500μm in diameter. They contained 5wt% IMQ, which is equivalent to a commercially available cream. The homogeneity of IMQ distribution in the matrix was higher for nanocrystals compared to usual crystalline form. The release of IMQ from the patches was determined ex vivo in natural skin and revealed a 48% increase in efficacy for nanocrystal formulations compared to the crystalline form of IMQ.

The effect of triglycerol diacrylate on the printability and properties of UV curable, bio-based nanohydroxyapatite composites

3D printable biopolymer nanocomposites composed of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles and functionalized plant-based monomers demonstrate potential as sustainable and structural biomaterials. To increase this potential, their printability and performance must be improved. For extrusion-based 3D printing, such as Direct Ink Writing (DIW), printability is important for print fidelity. In this work, triglycerol diacrylate (TGDA) was added to an acrylated epoxidized soybean oil:polyethylene glycol diacrylate resin to increase hydrogen bonding. Greater hydrogen bonding was hypothesized to improve printability by increasing the ink's shear yield strength, and therefore shape holding after deposition. The effects of this additive on material and mechanical properties were quantified. Increased hydrogen bonding due to TGDA content increased the ink's shear yield stress and viscosity by 916% and 27.6%, respectively. This resulted in improved printability, with best performance at 3 vol% TGDA. This composition achieved an ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 32.4 ± 2.1 MPa and elastic modulus of 1.15 ± 0.21 GPa. These were increased from the 0 vol% TGDA composite, which had an UTS of 24.8 ± 1.8 MPa and a modulus of 0.88 ± 0.06 GPa. This study demonstrates the development of bio-based additive manufacturing feedstocks for potential uses in sustainable manufacturing, rapid prototyping, and biomaterial applications.

Transport of carboxylate salts of varying chain lengths in crosslinked polyether membranes

Carboxylate anions of various chain lengths are important molecules for many applications such as CO2 reduction, membrane-based bioreactors, etc. Also, carboxylate anions are ubiquitous in biological molecules such as amino acids, fatty acids, etc. Therefore, understanding the transport behavior of carboxylates of different chain lengths in polymer materials is important both as a fundamental phenomenon but also for designing materials for applications. Here, we characterized transport behavior by measuring the permeability (P), and total partition coefficient (K) for a series of polymer membranes for four model carboxylate salts—sodium salts of formate (NaOFm), acetate (NaOAc), propionate (NaOPr), and butanoate (NaOBu)—at varied upstream salt concentrations (0.1–1 M) or a series of polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA)-based membranes with 1) varying pre-polymerization water content; 2) varying uncharged side chain comonomer (polyethylene glycol methacrylate, PEGMA), and 3) varying charged comonomer)2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid, AMPS). Also, diffusivity values of the four salts through the membranes have been calculated based on the solution diffusion model equation (PK × D), experimentally obtained permeability, and total partition coefficients. For a majority of these membranes, NaOFm's permeability is much higher than the other three carboxylate salts (NaOAc, NaOPr, and NaOBu) seemingly due to the lower chain length and thereby smaller hydrated diameter. In terms of total partition coefficient, a size-based trend is not observed. For example, NaOBu's total partition coefficient (K) is generally the largest among the four, and at higher upstream salt concentrations (1 M), the values of the total partition coefficients of the four salts converge. From this we conclude that the carboxylate salt transport through these PEGDA-based non-porous dense membranes to be primarily driven by kinetics and not sorption.

Synchronous semi-solid extrusion and photopolymerization of antimicrobial dressing hydrogel for wound healing

Bacterial infections at wound sites require more time for a fast and efficient wound-healing process. Antibacterial methyl cellulose-based hydrogel wound dressing can be an excellent option because it can show antibacterial action, absorb wound exudates, and have a cooling and soothing effect on the wound bed. The ultraviolet (UV) ray-assisted semi-solid extrusion 3D printing technique was used to prepare 3D printed construct into a high surface area mesh-like structure utilizing UV radiation for photocrosslinking of hydrogel matrix in the presence of Poly (ethylene glycol) Diacrylate. The prepared hydrogel was characterized for contact angle, and rheological analysis before semi-solid extrusion-based 3D printing. After optimization of printing parameters, the 3D printed mesh was subjected to physicochemical characterizations like dimensional analysis, swelling study, drug content, in vitro drug release, and in vitro antimicrobial activity study. A rheological analysis confirmed the viscosity, thixotropy, and viscoelastic nature of prepared hydrogel. Drug release study showed approximately 50 % release in 4 h, and >80 % drug release in 24 h. After optimization of one batch, hydrogel polymerization was done by functional group analysis followed by validation of thread thickness by electron microscopy images and mechanical property assessment. The 3D-printed mesh was further evaluated for its in-vitro antibacterial performance against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The area of inhibition was one-fold more in Staphylococcus aureus and two-fold in E. coli, ensuring diffusion of the drug from 3D printed mesh and killing of bacteria. The work reported herein represents a universal platform to generate multifunctional and customized hydrogels with various functional substances for wound dressing applications.

DLP‐Printable Porous Cryogels for 3D Soft Tactile Sensing

AbstractThree‐Dimensional (3D) printed porous materials hold the potential for various soft sensing applications due to their remarkable flexibility, low density, and customizable geometries. However, developing versatile and efficient fabrication methods is crucial to unlock their full potential. A novel approach is introduced by combining Digital Light Processing (DLP) 3D printing and freeze‐drying to manufacture deformable cryogels featuring intricate morphologies. Photocurable hydrogels based on Poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene)Polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS), Polyethylene glycol Diacrylate (PEGDA) and Ethylene Glycol (EG) are successfully printed and lyophilized. In this way, porous cryogels with tailorable properties are achieved. Microporosity varies from 68% to 96%, according to the chemical composition. Ultra‐soft cryogels with a compressive modulus of 0.13MPa are fabricated by adding a reactive diluent. As a result of the cryogelation process, which effectively removes water from the hydrogels, microporous structures with details as fine as 100 µm are obtained. The achieved freedom of design is exploited to fabricate resistive force sensors with a honeycomb lattice morphology. The sensitivity and the working range of the sensors can be tailored by tuning the size of the cells, paving the way for sensors with programmable architectures that can meet diverse requirements.

Green and efficient radiation-based preparation of crosslinked poly(vinyl pyrrolidone)-iodine (PVP-I)-introduced polypropylene (PP) sheets for antibacterial wound dressing application

In this study, we developed an efficient method to prepare a crosslinked poly(vinyl pyrrolidone)/poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate) (PVP/PEGDA) copolymer-grafted non-woven polypropylene (PP) sheet for which water can be used as a green solvent while providing a large amount of grafting functional groups on the PP matrix without diminishing mechanical properties. It was demonstrated that subsequent iodine complexation of the PP-g-PVP/PEGDA produces a strong antibacterial activity desirable for wound dressings. Efficient functionalization of hydrophobic non-woven PP sheet was achieved using electron beam (EB)-induced graft polymerization of vinyl pyrrolidone (VP) with the addition of hydrophilic crosslinker (PEGDA), resulting in the PP-g-PVP/PEGDA. In this preparation method, the grafting degree was remarkably increased up to 3-fold, even in the water solvent, and was found to be controlled by the concentration of VP and PEGDA. To impart antibacterial activity, the PP-g-PVP/PEGDA subsequently underwent iodine complexation, yielding PP-g-PVP/PEGDA-I. Structural analysis and water absorptivity studies confirmed that excellent water-absorbing PVP/PEGDA-I complexes were successfully introduced in the non-woven PP sheet without significant change in the porous structure of the PP sheet. Moreover, the PP-g-PVP/PEGDA-I exhibited strong antibacterial activities against Gram-negative E. coli, Gram-positive S. aureus, and MRSA bacterial species in a time-killing assay, and the activities showed high dependence on the grafting degree. This finding demonstrates that the PP-g-PVP/PEGDA-I can effectively and immediately inactivate external bacteria upon invasion. This green and efficient strategy is thus promising to produce PVP-I complex-based wound dressings with rapid antibacterial activity.

Development of Biocompatible Digital Light Processing Resins for Additive Manufacturing Using Visible Light-Induced RAFT Polymerization.

Patients with bone diseases often experience increased bone fragility. When bone injuries exceed the body's natural healing capacity, they become significant obstacles. The global rise in the aging population and the escalating obesity pandemic are anticipated to lead to a notable increase in acute bone injuries in the coming years. Our research developed a novel DLP resin for 3D printing, utilizing poly(ethylene glycol diacrylate) (PEGDA) and various monomers through the PET-RAFT polymerization method. To enhance the performance of bone scaffolds, triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS) were incorporated into the printed structure, promoting porosity and pore interconnectivity without reducing the mechanical resistance of the printed piece. The gyroid TPMS structure was the one that showed the highest mechanical resistance (0.94 ± 0.117 and 1.66 ± 0.240 MPa) for both variants of resin composition. Additionally, bioactive particles were introduced to enhance the material's biocompatibility, showcasing the potential for incorporating active compounds for specific applications. The inclusion of bioceramic particles produces an increase of 13% in bioactivity signal for osteogenic differentiation (alkaline phosphatase essay) compared to that of control resins. Our findings highlight the substantial improvement in printing precision and resolution achieved by including the photoabsorber, Rose Bengal, in the synthesized resin. This enhancement allows for creating intricately detailed and accurately defined 3D-printed parts. Furthermore, the TPMS gyroid structure significantly enhances the material's mechanical resistance, while including bioactive compounds significantly boosts the polymeric resin's biocompatibility and bioactivity (osteogenic differentiation).

Monodispersed biodegradable microparticles with wrinkled surface coated with silver nanoparticles for catalytic degradation of organic toxins

AbstractMicrofluidic fabrication of monodisperse microgels for biomedical, nanotechnological, environmental, and catalytic applications has become the subject of growing interest. In this work, monodisperse polyethylene glycol diacrylate [P(EGDA)] microgel particles were fabricated using a CNC-milled microfluidic device with a Lego-inspired interlocking mechanism. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesised and stabilised in situ on the wrinkled surface of the microgel particles using AgNO3 as a metal precursor and NaBH4 as a reductant. The loading of AgNPs (7.5 wt%) on microgel beads was confirmed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis. Surface wrinkles were found to be a useful morphological feature acting as reservoirs for the accumulation of AgNPs. Ag–P(EGDA) hybrid polymer particles were shown to be an efficient catalyst for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4NP) into 4-aminophenol (4AP) by sodium borohydride at room temperature. After 40 min, 0.08 M 4NP was completely converted into 4AP using 2.1 mg/mL of Ag–P(EGDA) catalytic particles, and the reaction followed a pseudo-first-order kinetics. The apparent rate constant increased from 0.0142 to 0.117 min−1 when the loading of catalytic particles increased from 1.7 to 2.50 mg/mL indicating that the reduction is occurring on the catalyst surface according to the Langmuir–Hinshelwood model. Ag–P(EGDA) hybrid microgel was a potent and recyclable catalyst for room-temperature degradation of methylene blue (MeB) by NaBH4. At the Ag–P(EGDA) loading of 2.0 mg/mL, 25 µM of MeB was completely degraded in 6 min. Composite Ag–P(EGDA) microgel beads can be used as an eco-friendly and easily recoverable catalyst for the transformation of other organic pollutants into useful chemicals. Graphical abstract

Extrusion-Based 3D Printing of Photocrosslinkable Chitosan Inks.

Photocuring of chitosan has shown great promise in the extrusion-based 3D printing of scaffolds for advanced biomedical and tissue engineering applications. However, the poor mechanical stability of methacrylated chitosan photocuring ink restricts its applicability. The inclusion of co-networks by means of simultaneous polycomplex formation is an effective method by which to solve this drawback, but the formed hydrogel inks are not printable. This work aims to develop new photocurable chitosan inks based on the simultaneous photocrosslinking of methacrylated chitosan (CHIMe) with N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide, polyethylene glycol diacrylate, and acrylic acid to be applied in extrusion 3D printing. Interestingly, the polycomplex co-network corresponding to the acrylic-acid-based ink could be successfully printed by the here-presented simultaneous photocuring strategy. Further, the conversion of photocrosslinking was studied via photo-DSC analyses that revealed a clear dependence on the chemical structure of the employed crosslinking agents (from 40 to ~100%). In addition, the mechanical and rheological properties of the photocured hydrogels were comparatively studied, as well as the printing quality of the extruded scaffolds. The newly developed chitosan photocurable inks demonstrated extrusion printability (squareness ~0.90; uniformity factor ~0.95) and tunable mechanical properties (Young modulus 14-1068 Pa) by means of different crosslinking approaches according to the chemical architecture of the reactive molecules employed. This work shows the great potential of photocrosslinkable chitosan inks.

A water‐soluble Irgacure 2959‐based diallylammonium salt system for antibacterial coatings

AbstractA water‐soluble mixture of a novel diallylammonium salt photoinitiator based on 2‐hydroxy‐1‐[4‐(2‐hydroxyethoxy) phenyl]‐2‐methyl‐1‐propanone (Irgacure 2959 or I2959) and diallylammonium tosylate has been prepared. It shows excellent water‐solubility of 6.8 wt% in water, much greater than the solubility of I2959 (<2 wt%). It has a strong absorbance at 269 nm (ε ~ 15731) in methanol. It exhibits 15.6 times higher migration stability than I2959 due to its monomeric nature. Its photoinitiating efficiency of 2‐hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA, Mn = 575 D) was found to be similar to I2959. PEGDA hydrogels prepared using the synthesized photoinitiator (PI) were found to have highly porous structures (15.44 μm) compared with those using I2959. PEGDA film prepared using this PI has demonstrated antibacterial properties against gram‐negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 15442) and gram‐positive Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 23235) bacterial species.

Bioinspired Synaptic Branched Network within Quasi-Solid Polymer Electrolyte for High-Performance Microsupercapacitors.

The branched network-driven ion solvating quasi-solid polymer electrolytes (QSPEs) are prepared via one-step photochemical reaction. A poly(ethylene glycol diacrylate) (PEGDA) is combined with an ion-conducting solvate ionic liquid (SIL), where tetraglyme (TEGDME), which acts like interneuron in the human brain and creates branching network points, is mixed with EMIM-NTf2 and Li-NTf2. The QSPE exhibits a unique gyrified morphology, inspired by the cortical surface of human brain, and features well-refined nano-scale ion channels. This human-mimicking method offers excellent ion transport capabilities through a synaptic branched network with high ionic conductivity (σDC ≈ 1.8 mS cm-1 at 298 K), high dielectric constant (εs ≈ 125 at 298 K), and strong ion solvation ability, in addition to superior mechanical flexibility. Furthermore, the interdigitated microsupercapacitors (MSCs) based on the QSPE present excellent electrochemical performance of high energy (E = 5.37 µWh cm-2) and power density (P = 2.2 mW cm-2), long-term cycle stability (≈94% retention after 48 000 cycles), and mechanical stability (>94% retention after continuous bending and compressing deformation). Moreover, these MSC devices have flame-retarding properties and operate effectively in air and water across a wide temperature range (275 to 370 K), offering a promising foundation for high-performance, stable next-generation all-solid-state energy storage devices.

Graphene oxide-decorated hyrogel inverse opal photonic crystal improving colorimetric and fluorescent responses for rapid detection of lipocalin-1

In this paper, the colorimetric and fluorescent biosensors prepared from polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA)-based inverse opal photonic crystal (IOPC) decorated with graphene oxide (GO) (termed as GO-modified PEGDA-based IOPC) have been explored for simple and rapid semi-quantitative and quantitative detections of biomarker lipocaline-1 (LCN1) in tear at low level, respectively. We found that only after the concentration of GO (CGO) was sufficiently high to create a thin GO layer due to intermolecular interactions between neighboring GO molecules on the PEGDA surface, the red-shift of the reflection peak position (λstb) became effective. This widening of the shift in λstb became significant when GO-modified PEGDA-based IOPC was selectively attached with LCN1 via the immunoassay, because the attachment with LCN1 caused a reverse shift in λstb. Correspondingly, the visualizable photonic color could vary in wider range depending on the concentration of LCN1 (CLCN1), from orange color of blank solution to light blue color of solution containing LCN1 at CLCN1 of 0.06 mg/mL using CGO = 2.5 mg/mL. For quantification, CGO and enrichment time of LCN1 were optimized for getting the maximum fluorescence microscopy intensity. The diagram for the relationship between fluorescence intensity and CLCN1 showed various advantages of GO-modified PEGDA-based IOPC over non-GO-modified PEGDA-based IOPC. Those were higher fluorescence intensity, wider linear range and higher detection sensitivity. Thus, our results revealed potential applications of GO-modified PEGDA-based IOPC in screening patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) in early stage.

Bioactive Polyurethane-Poly(ethylene Glycol) Diacrylate Hydrogels for Applications in Tissue Engineering.

Polyurethanes (PUs) are a highly adaptable class of biomaterials that are among some of the most researched materials for various biomedical applications. However, engineered tissue scaffolds composed of PU have not found their way into clinical application, mainly due to the difficulty of balancing the control of material properties with the desired cellular response. A simple method for the synthesis of tunable bioactive poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogels containing photocurable PU is described. These hydrogels may be modified with PEGylated peptides or proteins to impart variable biological functions, and the mechanical properties of the hydrogels can be tuned based on the ratios of PU and PEGDA. Studies with human cells revealed that PU-PEG blended hydrogels support cell adhesion and viability when cell adhesion peptides are crosslinked within the hydrogel matrix. These hydrogels represent a unique and highly tailorable system for synthesizing PU-based synthetic extracellular matrices for tissue engineering applications.

Salt-resistant solar water desalination system via surface modification and configuration engineering

Floating solar water desalination systems have received a lot of attention since they are portable, low cost, environmentally friendly, and highly efficient. However, salt accumulation on the evaporation surface and water transfer channels is one of the main obstacle to the development of these systems. In this work, two strategies of surface modification and configuration engineering are focused on to make the devices salt-resistant. First, the system becomes salt-resistant by formation of a hydration layer on the water manager and light absorber surface through cross-linking of polyethylene glycol diacrylate. Remarkably, the surface-modified device shows a water evaporation rate of 1.34 kg.m−2.h−1 and a conversion efficiency of 91.75 % in artificial seawater. There is no salt accumulation on the evaporation surface of surface-modified devices after desalination in the simulated seawater. In the second strategy, the water transferring to the evaporation surface and water evaporation rate are balanced by tuning the number of water transport channels and location. The engineered device shows an evaporation rate of 0.98 kg.m−2.h−1 and an efficiency of 75.5 % in a high saline solution (20 wt% NaCl). Simultaneous surface modification and configuration engineering improve the salt resistivity, showing that the configuration should be engineered according to the water salinity.

An ambient‐temperature superionic conductive, electrochemically stable, plastic cross‐linked polymer electrolyte for lithium metal battery

AbstractA plastic cross‐linked polymer is prepared using acrylonitrile as a monomer and poly(ethylene glycol diacrylate) as a linking agent. A phase diagram‐guide rational design is introduced to fabricate the polymer composite electrolyte in the case of succinonitrile complexed with lithium bis‐trifluoromethanesulfonimide. The plastic cross‐linked polymer‐based electrolyte films with ambient‐temperature superionic conductivity (2.33 mS cm−1) and a wide electrochemical window (0–5.6 V vs. Li/Li+) have been demonstrated. The charging and discharging experiments of the plastic polymer composite electrolyte‐based lithium batteries show that the plastic polymer electrolyte can cycle normally and safely at a current density of 0.5 mA cm−2. These batteries exhibit excellent average coulombic efficiency of 98.5% in the first 150 cycles. The initial capacity at 25°C is 127.5 mAh g−1 (0.2 C), which is close to the value achieved by liquid‐electrolyte‐based cells under similar conditions. The capacity retention is 91% after 150 cycles.

Dual‐Protective Role of PM475: Bolstering Anode and Cathode Stability in Lithium Metal Batteries

AbstractThe increasing demand for high‐energy storage solutions has brought attention to the limitations of commercial Lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). While Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) hold promise as an alternative, their practical use is hindered by interface instability in both the lithium anode and Ni‐rich layered cathode during cycling. In this study, a cost‐effective is introduced, bifunctional film‐forming additive: polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PM475). PM475, a long‐chain organic molecule rich in oxygen‐containing functional groups, can create a flexible and stable protective interface on both the lithium metal anode and Ni‐rich Li[NixCoyMn1−x−y]O2 (NCM) cathode. This PM475 enhances the solid electrolyte interface (SEI) components on the lithium anode, effectively suppressing the growth of lithium dendrites. Furthermore, it establishes a uniform interface layer on the Ni‐rich NCM cathode, significantly improving battery cycle life. Consequently, the Li||Li symmetric cell can endure 400 h of cycling at 2 mA cm−2, and the Li||NCM811 full cell exhibits an impressive capacity retention increase from 44.3% to 88.4% after 250 cycles at 1 C under a high cathode load of 20 mg cm−2. This research highlights PM475 as a highly effective additive for enhancing LMB performance, offering a promising avenue for future high‐energy‐density storage systems.

Preparation of high performance membrane via one-step polymerization and co-deposition of polydopamine/zwitterionic monomers/poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate

Membrane separation is an effective method for water purification. However, conventional preparation processes for the membranes usually suffer from complicated production technology and lack versatility. Mussel-inspired chemistry has generated extensive interest in exploring a facile strategy for the preparation of polymeric membranes. In this work, a simple, green and time saving strategy is proposed for accomplishing the surface functionalization via one-step polymerization and co-deposition of dopamine/zwitterion/poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA). The chain segment of the zwitterion can tightly bind water molecules upon the membrane surface, enhancing the hydrophilicity of the membrane. The chain segment of PEGDA can offer cross-linking sites during the co-deposition process, facilitating the formation of the network structure. The retention to dyes for the membranes prepared with PEGDA was higher than those membranes prepared without PEGDA. The optimized membrane exhibited high water permeance up to 25.9 L m−2 h−1 bar−1, with rejection of 99.7 % and 99.6 % for Methyl blue and Congo Red. Meanwhile, the anti-bacterial rate for the optimized membrane reaches 75.9 %, and the water flux recovery rate (FRR) is as high as 86.65 %. The results cast a light on the exploration of the PDA-based NF membranes, featuring simple production technology and versatile capabilities for the separation of various dyes.

Interfacial modification of hydrogel composite membranes for protein adsorption with cavitands as nano molecular containers

Protein adsorption is of great significance for bioengineering, biomedicine, drug release, etc. Herein, poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAm) and polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) based hydrogel materials were used to introduce self-synthesized cavitands with pore cage structures and hydrophobic characteristics to construct high-efficiency hydrogel composite membrane (HCM) for the adsorption of bovine serum albumin (BSA). The hydrophobic cavitand cage can improve the interfacial polymerization process by impacting the monomer diffusion and then modifying the interface properties of the hydrogel molecular network, which is validated by the molecular dynamic simulation. The adsorption mechanism can be interpreted as the reorganization of the polymer pores using the cavitands, and hence the surface charge and hydrophobic property consequently changed, which is consistent with the measurement results as well as validated by the molecular dynamic simulation. Thus, the fabricated HCM exhibits good structural stability, thermal stability, and robust BSA adsorption performance. The results indicated that the developed HCM materials can be promising candidates for effective protein separation.

Highly Efficient Aligned Ion-Conducting Network and Interface Chemistries for Depolarized All-Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries

HighlightsThis study introduces an innovative 3D-printed electrolyte with vertically aligned ion transport network, which contains well-dispersed nanoscale Ta-doped Li7La3Zr2O12 in a poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate matrix.The 3DSE architecture enables efficient ion transport across the Li/electrolyte and electrolyte/cathode interfaces, which allows for increased active material mass loading and enhanced interfacial adhesion.The p-3DSE Li symmetric cell displays an impressive critical current density value of 1.92 mA cm−2 and stable operation for 2600 h at room temperature. Full cells using p-3DSE achieve notable areal capacities.